may the king rejoice with Your strength: Our Rabbis (Mid. Ps. 21:1) interpreted it as referring to the King Messiah, but the matter may correctly be interpreted further as referring to David himself, in order to refute the sectarians, Who expounded upon it, that after he took Batsheva, he said this Psalm.

3You gave him his heart's desire, and the speech of his lips You have never withheld.

and the speech of: Heb. וארשת, an expression of speech, which has no similar word. Menachem (p. 167), however, brought a [word] similar to it (Ezra 3:7): “by the authorization (ברשיון) of Cyrus, king of Persia.”

4For You have preceded him with the blessings of the good man; You have placed a gold crown on his head.

For You have preceded him with the blessings of the good man: Before I asked You, You preceded me with Your blessing through Nathan the prophet (in II Sam. 7: 12f.): “then I will raise up your seed… and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

You have placed a gold crown on his head: (As in II Sam. 12:30): “And he took the crown of Malkam… and it was [set] upon David’s head.”

5He asked You for life; You gave it to him, length of days forever and ever.

before You: in Paradise. Our Rabbis, who interpreted it as referring to the King Messiah, brought proof on that matter (from Dan. 7:13): “and came to the Ancient of days and brought him near before Him.” Scripture also states (in Jer. 30: 21): “and I will bring him near, and he shall approach Me.”

8For the king trusts in the Lord and in the loving- kindness of the Most High, that he should not falter.